Edinson Cavani ensured that Paris Saint-Germain were unfazed by the absence of Neymar as he starred in their 3-0 win over Nice, taking them seven points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table.

footballUpdated: Oct 28, 2017 09:21 IST

Reuters Reuters, Paris

Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani celebrates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain and OGC Nice on October 27, 2017, at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AFP)

Edinson Cavani’s first-half double and a Dante own goal after the break secured a 3-0 home win for Paris Saint-Germain over Nice in an entertaining clash on Friday.

The result left Paris Saint-Germain in the driving seat with 29 points from 11 games, though second-placed champions AS Monaco can reduce the gap when they visit Girondins Bordeaux on Saturday.

Nice, who finished third last season, stayed 14th with 10 points after their fourth successive league defeat.

The Argentine winger set up both of Cavani’s goals, having whipped in a third-minute free kick from the left which the Uruguay hitman superbly headed home at the near post.

The pair combined again in the 31st as Di Maria carved open the visiting defence with a perfectly weighed pass and Cavani tucked the ball into an empty net after beating the offside trap and rounding goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

Benitez made two good saves in the first half, keeping out easy chances for Cavani and Di Maria to prevent Nice from falling further behind in a lop-sided contest.

He was powerless, however, when centre back Dante put the ball into his own net after Cavani headed a teasing cross from the left back into the six-yard box.